Business Process Model & Notation

Definition

Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) provides an industry-standard language for modeling business processes in a form that is accessible by both business users and technical developers. A key feature of BPMN is its ability to distinguish the activities of different participants in a process with pools and swim-lanes. When the flow of work crosses the boundary of a swim lane, responsibility for the work then passes to another role within the organization.

Inputs

• A defined process scope (start and end points)
• Knowledge of the actors, systems, and decision points involved in the process
• Existing process documentation, interviews, or observation notes, if available

Outputs

• A visual process diagram showing tasks, decision gateways, events, and handoffs between participants (pools/lanes)
• A shared, unambiguous reference both business and technical stakeholders can read the same way

When to Use

• Documenting current-state ("as-is") or future-state ("to-be") processes that cross multiple roles or departments
• Identifying handoff points, bottlenecks, or redundant steps in a workflow
• Communicating a process to both business stakeholders and technical implementation teams using one shared diagram

When Not to Use

• Simple, single-actor tasks with no meaningful handoffs or branching logic — a checklist or narrative description is faster and clearer
• Highly exploratory work where the process itself hasn't stabilized yet